


Stellar Evolution

by Snipurrs



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, Slow Burn, sort of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-09
Updated: 2017-01-24
Packaged: 2018-07-14 02:24:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7148693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snipurrs/pseuds/Snipurrs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex Krycek is falling behind this semester. Fox Mulder is assigned to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Protostar

It was May 25th, 1993, 4:53PM to be exact, when Alex Krycek fell in love with Fox Mulder. 

The air was warm with late spring and the sun was still high in the sky. It bounced off the white bleachers and illuminated them, making the two boys sat there seem angelic. Mulder’s eyes had fluttered closed and his lips parted, waiting. Krycek moved closer, their faces inches apart. It was hard to believe how quickly this had all come about.

 

TWO WEEKS EARLIER. 

Tuesday, May 11th.

“Alex!” Mr. Skinner barked from the front of the class, jolting Krycek from his daydream. “Am I boring you?” Krycek said nothing, just looked down at his work and scowled, pretending to take notes from the board. Skinner let it slide and proceeded with the Science lesson. This semester would focus on Astrology. Krycek didn’t much care for space, but he understood the science and theory behind it and he’d be able to squeeze a Pass out of the course if he tried. So, he stuck with it to the bear minimum and doodled little Saturns in the corners of his paper. 

A voice piped up from the front of the class. “…Well, if that’s true, sir, then how can we be sure that we’re alone in this universe? In fact, how could one possibly assume otherwise? If space is truly as vast as your equations make it out to be, it would be ridiculous to believe so.” A quiet collective groan sounded from a few students. Fox Mulder was theorising again. Last week it was moth men. Krycek looked up at the brash young man, who had turned to face a student that had playfully thrown a ball of paper at him. 

“No, really,” Mulder continued. “An unlimited area of space and you people think we’re the only ones in it? C’mon!” Mulder had a habit of raising the hackles of the non-believers. 

“Mulder, let’s keep your beliefs to your paper, alright?” Skinner tried.

“Tell that to the street preachers.” 

The bell sounded before Skinner could argue, and the students wasted no time gathering their stuff and leaving. Despite Mulder’s theories being unconventional to say the least, Krycek admired his rebellion against the norm. He often wished he could do the same, but it just wasn’t his style. His form of rebellion was smoking in the bathrooms and skipping classes to watch the baseball team at practice. 

Krycek had lingered in the class a second too long, and Skinner caught him on the way out.

“Alex, you’re falling behind.” He said matter-of-factly, flicking through some files on his desk. “I want you to attend some after-school sessions to get you back on track.” 

“Not a chance.” Krycek replied, already giving up on the conversation and walking out the door. Skinner wouldn’t be defeated so easily.

“Alex, either you attend these sessions or I’ll fail you for the semester. It’s as simple as that.” 

“That’s bullshit, sir, and you know it!” Krycek knew Skinner had it in for him, but this was just unfair. 

“You watch your language!” Skinner barked, turning to Krycek with an iron glare. Krycek left the room with a scowl, craving a cigarette more than ever. After school sessions were a waste of time, everyone who was forced to participate only goofed off or necked with their girlfriends, and he’d rather goof off alone. Krycek stormed home with only a red sky to accompany him.

 

Wednesday, May 12th. 

The next morning in the library, Mulder’s face was buried in A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy when a trio of students approached him. The tallest had to clear his throat to get Mulder’s attention.

“Well, if it isn’t the three stooges.” Mulder smiled, dog-earing his book and shutting it. “To what do I owe this pleasure?” The three students looked ridiculously out of place wherever they went, and consequently were known by everyone at school. Early on they’d learned that they needed to use this to their advantage. The first semester’s assembly hall had roared with laughter as an unflattering image of principle Kersh flashed across the screen as he gave a speech. Each time he’d turned around to see what the fuss was about, the image would disappear, only to reappear once his back was turned. The trio had become respected troublemakers amongst the students since then. 

The shortest of the three spoke first, tossing a set of keys on the desk.

“We’ve done our part. Now it’s time to do yours.”

Mulder took the keys and studied them briefly, before stuffing them into his pocket. 

“Nicely done, Frohike. I trust you had no interruptions?”

“Not one,” The middle-height one beamed. It was obvious he’d been trying to grow a beard, but so far only a weak moustache had sprouted. “Langly and I had the place scoped out completely.”

“We suggest you do it during fifth period, next Wednesday. Kersh will be off by then and you should have the hall to yourself for at least twenty minutes.” Langly, the blonde, reported. 

“Thanks, guys. Consider it done.” Mulder swung his bag over his shoulder and left the library, the other three hanging back to make sure he wasn’t being followed. He was, but not by anyone threatening to their plan.

“Mulder!” A voice sounded from behind him, and he turned around and smiled. Dana Scully. She always seemed to be there when he felt off-balance. 

“Hey, Dana.” He scooped her into a hug. 

“How many times to I have to tell you, Mulder? If you insist on going by your second name, I insist on following suit.” She said, walking with him. “What are you doing tonight? Reyes and I are going to get something to eat.”

“I’d love to, Scully, but Skinner’s assigned me to these after school sessions, first one’s tonight.” He pulled out a stick of gum, offered it to Scully, who shook her head, and popped it into his mouth.

“Why has he put you on for those sessions? You’re acing those courses, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, that’s the problem. He wants me to mentor the students that are falling behind.” He sighed. They walked in silence for a moment until Scully stopped and turned to him.

“Are you alright, Mulder? You seem… off.” 

Mulder had been told by The Lone Gunmen not to tell a soul about their plan, but he found it so hard to keep anything from Scully. He looked around and directed them into a quieter corner.

“Well, the three stooges and I have a plan to break into Kersh’s office and change the grades of some students who are paying us for it. Simple enough, but I don’t know how I feel about it…” He admitted, showing Scully the keys. She looked away in thought for a moment.

“Going ahead with this goes against your morals, Mulder. You want to be a representative of the law, and you’ll be breaking it.” She softened her tone. “Look, you know I won’t tell anyone. I just think you need to really think it over before you go ahead with it.” Damn it if she wasn’t right. He hadn’t thought about it thoroughly enough for it to sit right with his conscience, he’d jumped at the chance to make a few bucks. The bell sounded, signifying the end of break. 

“Thank you, Scully.” He smiled, before heading off to his next lesson. 

 

The next few hours passed with agonising sluggishness, and Krycek had been tapping his fingers to the same tune for twenty minutes now, but finally the last bell rang. He just had to get through this next bullshit hour of after-school class and he’d be free. He wasn’t paying any attention as he walked into the classroom, so he didn’t notice Fox Mulder standing at the front of the room.

“…And Alex. Looks like that’s everyone.” Krycek took his seat and looked up at the mention of his name, realising it’d be Mulder mentoring him. 

“Skinner’s told me to help you guys with page 102, lifecycle of a star. It’s pretty straightforward, once you get the hang of it.” Mulder set about drawing some basic illustrations on the board depicting a star’s lifecycle, from Protostar to Neutron Star or Black hole, depending on the events it encounters. Krycek figured if he were a star he’d end up a black hole. A few minutes in and Krycek was bored, relentlessly tapping his pen on his knee. 

“Alex? It is Alex, isn’t it?” Mulder approached Krycek’s desk, turning the chalk over in his fingers. 

Krycek looked up, suddenly finding it rather difficult to find any words. “Yeah. Alex Krycek.” 

“I’m Fox Mulder, but just call me Mulder, for my own sanity.” 

Krycek managed to stop the words ‘I know who you are’ from escaping. 

“Is there anything in the sequence you’re stuck on? I’d be happy to help.” Mulder asked. He sounded so genuine that Krycek wondered if he was being patronising. 

“I’m not stupid, Fox, I understand Stellar Evolution. We did this shit in middle school.” It had come out harsher than intended, and he winced at himself. Mulder said nothing, just moved to help another student. 

Half an hour had passed when Krycek realized perhaps he didn’t know as much about Stellar Evolution as he previously assumed. He had been tracing the circles in the black hole illustration in his textbook for a while now, but he was too stubborn to ask Mulder for help, especially in front of the other students. When the hour was finally up and Mulder was rubbing the diagrams from the board, Krycek approached him.

“Hey… Mulder? I’m… Sorry about earlier” He said weakly. Mulder turned to him and put the board rubber down. “I’m having trouble with the uh, hydrogen fusion parts, mostly.” Mulder said nothing for a moment, then turned back to the board to write down a few numbers and symbols. 

“The onset of nuclear fusion leads to a hydrostatic equilibrium in which energy released by the core produces a radiation pressure, balancing the weight of the star’s matter, preventing further gravitational collapse. So, the star evolves more rapidly to a stable state, beginning the main sequence phase of its evolution.” 

“…Right.” Krycek thumbed the strap on his backpack uncomfortably.

“It’s in the book.” Mulder slid his pen into his bag and slung it over his shoulder. Krycek couldn’t understand. He’d apologized, he could only claim to have apologized to about five people in his life. Mulder was advancing towards the door, but Krycek was not one to be belittled.

“Hey! I said I was sorry, what more do you want?” Mulder ignored him and left, flicking the light switch off as he went.


	2. Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, guys, I'm so sorry for such a long wait for this chapter. That "life" thing sort of got in the way a bit. Hope you enjoy! I promise then next one won't take as long.

Friday May 14th.

Scully called Mulder on Thursday, inviting him out the following evening and he agreed, thankful it’d get him out of helping his little sister with her math homework. He usually ended up finishing every problem for her. 

Friday evening he met Scully and Reyes at the local milkshake bar. The air was still warm and the sun still out, so they decided to sit outside and watch the sky turn pink. The two girls shared a strawberry milkshake (Reyes’ black lipstick staining the tip of her straw and Scully’s red parallel staining hers), and Mulder opted for a coffee. He’d been turning the principal’s office key over in his palm for some time.

“Aren’t you burning up in that?” Reyes gestured to Scully’s leather jacket. “It’s 75 degrees out.”

“The price you pay for fashion, I guess.” Scully smiled, winking. Noticing Mulder hadn’t touched his coffee, she asked him if he was alright. “Did you decide what you’re going to do about that?” She said, gesturing to the key. Mulder shifted in his seat.

“I think I’ll back out of it. I’ll be suspended if not expelled if they catch me. I’m not sure I’m willing to take the risk.” He finally took a sip of his coffee. Reyes pat him on the back affectionately. 

“How’d that Wednesday tutoring thing go?” She asked. Mulder shrugged, pocketing the key.

“It went okay. I’m no teacher; I doubt any of the students will learn anything... You know Alex Krycek?” The girls exchanged a look before nodding. “Well he was there. Got real pissy with me when I tried to help him, but that was probably the most eventful part of the evening.” He looked down into his cardboard cup. 

“What a jerk.” Scully giggled, blowing bubbles into her milkshake, and a second later Reyes was giggling too.

“What? What’d I miss?” Mulder smiled. They obviously knew something he didn’t.

 

Monday, May 17th.

Krycek’s weekend had been uneventful. He’d stayed out until 5am on Saturday night just wandering aimlessly after getting frustrated with his insomnia. He’d tried and tried but sleep hadn’t come, and his legs had started to cramp up. So, he’d snuck out of his bedroom window, dropped onto the front porch and headed out.

He’d only lived in the neighbourhood about 8 months; his family moved around a lot. They’d had to leave their last home when the neighbours started throwing stones and obscenities at their house upon learning his parents were Cold War immigrants. When a seemingly serious threat of burning the house down was posted through the mailbox, they knew it’d be best to pack up. Krycek had decided not to tell a soul of his heritage since then. 

Mondays at school were always a drag. He was tired and bored, and really not all that into Othello. He excused himself to go to the bathroom, not intending to return, and wandered through the school halls for a few minutes, peeking into a couple of classrooms and flipping the bird to teachers with their backs turned, eventually deciding to park himself on the bleachers until lunch. Even watching the baseball team at practice was more interesting than Shakespeare. 

The sharp crack of a bat coming into contact with a ball echoed around the green as Krycek pulled out his sunglasses. He couldn’t wait for Fall – the weather cooling, the trees turning a welcoming orange, the inevitable promise of winter. He vaguely remembered some time spent in Russia, years ago. 

The piercing sound of someone shouting “Home run!” jolted Krycek back to 1993. The boys on the green were congratulating the student who had performed the run, who Krycek eventually made out to be Fox Mulder, that stuck-up jerk from last Wednesday. The audacity that guy had. The absolute nerve. The really soft looking hair and dark hazel eyes. The—what? 

Thankfully, the lunch bell rang before Krycek was able to dwell on that. The baseball team dispersed into smaller groups, some exiting to the changing rooms and a few – Mulder among them – perched themselves on the bleachers to eat lunch, a few rows below Krycek. He was pretty confident Mulder couldn’t see him, but he was self-conscious anyhow. 

The team started roaring with laughter at something Mulder had said, patting him on the back and ruffling his hair like friends do, and Krycek found himself compelled to watch Mulder smile. Such a genuine yet gentle smile, a little reserved, and when he did so he looked down shyly, causing his bangs to fall onto his face. Krycek remembered what he’d said to him with such hostility on their first meeting and cursed at himself. Then, however, he remembered how Mulder had refused to forgive him.

He slung his backpack over his shoulder and jumped down from the bleachers onto the grass, which made his ankles sting, and stormed back towards the main building, unaware of Mulder’s eyes trailing after him. 

 

Wednesday, May 19th.

“Look guys, I’m sorry, but I’m not doing it. Find someone else.” Mulder had finally managed to track down the three stooges and confess his worries about their plan. They hadn’t responded well.

“Mulder, we’re counting on you here!” Byers exclaimed, clapping Mulder on the back. 

“I thought we could trust you.” Frohike grumbled. Mulder scratched his head guiltily, fiddling with the key in his pocket. He’d meant to tell them yesterday, but he’d had swimming practice and completely forgot.

“I-I have to tutor an afterschool class tonight. I have to be there or Skinner will kill me.” The trio were having none of it.

“That’s not a problem. In fact, doing this after school will actually work in your favour - even less chance of you getting caught.” Langly beamed, removing his glasses to clean them on the hem of his RUSH shirt. Well, great. Mulder was worse off than when he started. He rubbed his temples and sighed. 

“Fine. Alright, I’ll do it.” The other three let out a simultaneous sigh of relief as Mulder left. He had a few hours to psyche himself up and go over the plan a few hundred more times. Still, he couldn’t stop his fingernails from digging into the palm of his hand. He made his way to the dining hall where he knew he’d find Scully.

 

Krycek exited the men’s bathrooms, waving the smell of smoke from his face, hoping no teachers would go in after him and notice the stained ceiling where the cigarette smoke had recently clung. His locker was just around the corner, and he flicked the key and opened it, stuffing the cigarette pack right to the back. He was about to close the locker when someone decided to invade his personal space, leaning on the metal door.

“Afternoon, Alex.” A voice cooed. 

“What do you want, Jeffery?” Krycek slammed the door shut, causing the student that had been leaning on it to slip and almost fall. Jeff Spender had been a particular thorn in his side as of late. Spender brushed himself off and straightened his tie (he insisted on wearing business casual to school). 

“You know what I want, Alex.” He replied, folding his arms across his chest. 

“I’m not smuggling cigarettes into school so you can sell them to 9th graders.” Krycek turned and started to walk away, but Spender grabbed him by the arm. 

“Stop acting like a fucking Saint, Alex, you have no morals. Just do it or I’ll tell Kersh you’ve been smoking in the bathrooms again, no doubt you’ll be expelled this time.” Krycek shook Spender’s grip from his arm. 

“Go ahead. I just find it comical that someone studying Law would stoop that low to break it, and I’m the one with no morals?” He spat, tuning once again. 

He was halfway down the corridor when Spender called: “Fine! Maybe I’ll just let everyone know your family’s a bunch of fucking Russkies!” Krycek stopped. “That’s right! I did my research! You wait till everyone finds out.” Before Spender could blink, Krycek flew at him, pushing him to the ground and kicking him in the side, hard. He was about to take another swing when he heard footsteps approaching and bolted, leaving Spender a heap on the floor. 

Krycek was pretty certain no-one had seen him, but it wasn’t exactly uncommon for Jeffery Spender to rat on someone. Yeah, he was screwed. 

 

Science class was uneventful and Krycek was half expecting a teacher to pull him out of the lesson and send him to Kersh’s office, but none did. What was more shocking, however, was that Fox Mulder hadn’t raised a single theory on little green men the entire hour, and when the class was over and he made his way to the after-school session, he was just as reserved. 

“We’ll work on page 103 tonight. If you have any questions just ask.” Was all he said. He didn’t seem to mind that no one was doing anything. He was glancing up at the clock at the top of every minute, and fidgeting relentlessly in his chair. Something was eating the Fox, and Krycek was becoming increasingly interested in what it may be.

When the hour was up and the students began gathering their things, Krycek prolonged his packing, making sure he left the classroom about 30 seconds after Mulder so he could follow him without being detected. 

It didn’t take long for the corridors to empty for the day, everyone wasting no time in leaving for home. Krycek followed far enough behind to use only the sound of Mulder’s shoes on the floor to indicate his direction, eventually finding himself outside the principal’s office. What in the world was that sly Fox up to?

Inside, Mulder was starting to work up a sweat; his nerves making his hands shake. He just had to find the appropriate folders and scribble some A’s across them. He began frantically flicking through stacks of papers. In drawers, in boxes, under more boxes, until he found the folder labelled with the class he was looking for. He set the folder on Kersh’s desk and got to work. He didn’t have much time – he could be back any minute. 

He was just closing the folder when the office door creaked open, and his blood froze in his veins. 

But it was not Kersh whose head peered around the door frame, but Alex Krycek’s.

“Alex?” Mulder squinted. “What the hell are you—W-What are you doing here?” 

“I could ask you the same question,” Cooed Krycek, creeping around the door frame and closing it quietly behind him. “But I know what you’re doing.” He gestured to the red pen in Mulder’s hand. “Your grades are the best in class, Fox; you don’t need to change them. So who’s paying you?”

Mulder leaned back in the principal’s chair and sighed. “That doesn’t matter. Did you follow me here?”

“You didn’t exactly make it difficult.” Krycek took the seat opposite the principal’s, a smirk tugging at his features. Mulder asked what the joke was, sliding the folder back where it had come from. 

 

“I have to say, Fox --- – Mulder,” Krycek corrected himself, “This isn’t like you at all. The pay must’ve upped from when I was in middle school.”

“Cut the crap, Alex. I don’t have time for this… and for god sakes, let’s get outta here.” 

“Don’t worry so much; Kersh isn’t even in today.” Mulder raised his eyebrow, stopping with his hand on the doorknob. “Someone didn’t do their research.” Krycek smirked. Mulder huffed, pulled the door open and walked through, Krycek flicking the light switch off and following him out. This didn’t make a whole lot of sense to him. Didn’t Mulder want to be a cop or something?

Krycek sped up enough to walk beside Mulder. “So?”

“What?” Mulder huffed, looking straight ahead.

“Who’s paying you? Or at least, who got you into this?”

“That’s classified.” 

Krycek chuckled loudly, almost a sort of growl. “What are you, a fucking FBI agent?” Mulder said nothing, but as they reached the school gates, he looked around and stopped.

“Look, I…” He sighed, his head drooping. “I trust you’re not gonna tell anyone about this?” His big dark eyes looked up at Krycek, and he noticed a subtle hint of fear in them.

“No, Mulder,” He dismissed, sliding a cigarette out of the pack that resided in his jacket pocket. As if his lighter and his mind were matched, he lit up with an idea just as the spark became a flame. A smile made his lips curl around the filter as he took a drag. “…If you give me a cut.” He puffed smoke into Mulder’s face, who waved it away angrily.

“What the hell, Alex? It’s not megabucks I’m getting here you—“ 

“Relax, Mulder. I don’t really want your money.” He plucked the cigarette from his lips and exhaled the smoke up into the air, pausing before speaking. “I need your help. If I fail this science class I’m out. I’m already on thin ice with my attendance. You bump me up to a C and I’m pretty much fine ‘till the end of the year.” Summer was creeping up quick, and then it’d be exams. He was surviving his other classes, but Physics in particular left him lost. 

Mulder weighed out his options. He did not want to spend any more time around Alex Krycek, the lying, scheming son of a bitch. But he also wouldn’t put it past him to tell on him. He sighed heavily. “Fine. Just… Meet me tomorrow lunch in the library, and bring your book.” He turned and left, leaving Krycek with his cigarette. Watching Mulder walking quickly away he did seem quite fox-like. Krycek smiled at the thought. Лиса

**Author's Note:**

> Please forgive any scientific inaccuracies... I failed Physics.


End file.
